A drift boat carrying two anglers down the Humptulips River just below the Humptulips hatchery flipped over Dec. 12 and, while both fishermen were able to safely reach shore and were uninjured, they could do little but watch helplessly as their boat and gear disappeared downriver.

The next day, members of the Grays Harbor Guide Association rallied to find and recover both boat and gear. Members Jim Babcock, Joe Superfisky, Patrick Gaffney and Ray Vermillion hit the river and were able to locate the drift boat about two miles below the accident scene.

The boat was upside down in about four feet of water. The men worked together and within an hour were able to get the boat righted and bailed out. According to Babcock, “The boat was unharmed” and the only casualty was a single oar that could not be found.

The Grays Harbor Guide Association, said Babcock, “is a new organization consisting of local and out of town fishing guides with the goal of conservation, unity, and improving sport fishing in the Grays Harbor area.” It was formed just two months ago and has about 34 members, “all guides that fish the Harbor rivers.”